Automatic press feeding mechanism



Jan. .19, 1932. c. F. ROOT 1,841,632

AUTOMATIC PRESS FEEDING MEOHANSM Filed Sept. '7, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS C. F. ROOT- AUTOMATIC PRESS FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 7, 1929 Jan. 19, 1932.

| 1 lulu,

INVENTOR. C'zrie.: Q7 Woo 2z ATToRNE s w I lllllllllllllllillv Patented `dan. 19', `1932 r Frise CHARLES F. ROOT, or CLEVELAND, lento, AssreNoR To TEE CHANDLER a PRICEy COM'- PANY, F CLEVELAND, einen conronnrron 0E oEIo v AUTOMATIC PRESS FEEBING TvIEGl-IANISM Application area september with little or'no 'alteration in their structure, and that when attached or installedk will not unnecessarily encumber the ypress or hamper theoperator in attendance thereon; The device ormachineis designed to pick up and transfer the vsheets pneumatic suction and the inventionv has as a'further obj ect the controlling of such suctionccnjointly with the movement of the picker fingers so as to locate the sheetsy accurately `on the platen of the press. Still anotherzobject'of the invention is to render the mechanism' simple, and compact andjto reduce the number of operatingparts so that the requirements in the way of attention and repair maybe reduced to a minimum.

, To the Iaccomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described Vand particularly pointed out in the claims,

the annexed drawings and the following de- Y scriptien setting forthin detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, ,such disclosed means constituting, however, butone of the various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invent-ion may be used.

- In said annexed drawings c Fig. 1 is aside elevation showing my improved sheet feeding mechanism as attached to a press of the type lin questiomthe latter being shown in this,as well as in the succeec.- ing figures, inV dotted outline only; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the mechanism with portions of the'press only appearing; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of such mechanism and press; Fig.

` t is a'transverse vertical section of a portion of the mechanism, theplane of the section'beling indicated by the line 4 4, Figs'. 2 and 8; Fig. 5 is likewise a vertical section of the samepertion of the mechanism, the plane of Y such sectie'n being at right angles to that of Fig. 4, substantiallyas Vindicated by the lines 5?-5 on Figs. l, 2 and lgFig. 5a shows the parts. in di'erent operative positiong 6 7, 1929. Serial No. 390,926.V

is a side elevation, on a somewhat larger scale, of the table whereon the stack of blank sheets is supported together with operating means whereby such ktable is advanced-and retracted in unison with themovementofthe 55 picker fingers; and `Fig. 7is a side elevation of such table on the same scale as in l,l

but showing same in a different operative position.V f

' The press illustrated in the drawings,v asf previously indicated, is of the familiar platen or Gordon type and need not beA further described than tonote the oscillatorily mounted Vplaten 1 on which thesheet requires to be placed preliminarily; to beingbrought' into contact with the form by the conjoint movement of such platen and-of the opposite bed 2 which carries suchl form in a suitable chase,

not shown. In the several general views a-ppearing in the drawings, the pressis showny with the platen in its sheet receiving position, r

the grippers 3, whereby the sheet is held onto the platen during the printing operation, being suitably raised. 1

.The `principalsupport forv the feeding v mechanism of present interest Vis a vertical tubular shaft or column 5 which, as shown,

is preferably installed on the leftside ofthe 1 mainframe of the press sofas to lie laterally adjacent to the platen in its aforesaid sheet receiving position, the upper end of the shaft rising a suitable distance above such platen. The manner in which said shaft isattached to 'the frame of the press is a kmatter `of indifference, but in the illustrative construction shown (see Fig. l) yI utilize a plate 6 that is adapted to be directly bolted againsttlie corresponding side frame of the press, such 1 plate being provided with a lug or'bracket 7 in which the lower end of the shaft is fixedly held, while a second bracket 8 secures the upper portion of lthe shaft directly tothe aforesaid main frame at an adjacent point. The present feed mechanism is designed to operate in conjunctionv with a magazine or table 9 for the blank sheetsthat is located directly in front 'of the platen and is inclined downwardly in a ydirectionfaway from such platen at an angle sufficient to cause the stack of paperto rest in aA correspondingly inclined position against the back plate 10 on said table. Such back plate will ordinarily be longitudinally movable along the top of the table to advance the stack as successive sheets are removed from the front thereof, but inasmuch as such advancing means form no part of the present invention, it is not deemed necessary to illustrate the same and for the same reason the means, which will ordinarily be provided for vertically adjusting the elevation of the table, are not illustrated. However, as previously indicated, the table for the purpose in hand requires to be reciprocated longitudinally towards and from the platen 1 or rather the picker lingers which serve to transfer successive sheets from the table to the platen. To this end the'table is slidably mounted on a base 11 that is provided with a rack 12 wherewith a spur gear, rotatably mounted on the Aunder side of the table, meshes. As a matter of fact, two such racks and corresponding gears, one on each sideof the table, will preferably be employed and the shaft or spindle 14, tcwhic-h the gears are attached, is

' adapted to 4be oscillated through the medium of a Alever 15-and a rod 16 that serves to connect such lever with the same drive that operates the pickerv fingers.

Fixedlly mounted on the upper end of tubular shaft .5 is a tubular cap piece 2O provided with la: rearwardly projecting lbracket 21. Such bracket comprises an open vframe- Work,-one essential `element of which is a slot 221thatfcrms-.an open -guideway inclining upwardly and rearwardly with respect to the main sup-porting shaft or column 5. Adjlustably secured in such guideway, by means of a wing nut 23 or equivalent device, is a stud 'bolt 24 provided on its inner end with a roller 25 (see Figs. 5 and 5a), such roller engaging with a slot yor rather a longitudinally extending vgroove 26 formed in one arm of ya lever 27, the other arm .olf which is connected with a rod 28 whereby said lever is oscillated at intervals by the driving mechanism which remains'to be described. Fixedly attached to said lever, co-a-Kial with its norma-lr axis of oscillation, is a tubular shaft 30 that projects atappronimately a right angle frornfbra'cket 21 over the platen l of the print- Aifng press. The normal axis of oscillation of lever 25, it should be explained, -is .that wherew'ith'thestudbolt 24 is shownas being secured .by -wing nut 23 in all of the figures except Fig., 5a.

Shaft 30 is supported in bracket 2l by means `of an outer surrounding sleeve A3-1 Within which the shaft is `free to rotate on occasiom, ysuch sleeve being in turn attached to the bracket 21 by means of two horizontally extending guideways 32 that permit said sleeve a bodily transverse movement-or move- `ment of translation in a plane inclined slightfrom the horizontal, as shown in Fig. 1.

Further operative connection between the sleeve and such bracket is provided in the form of two spur pinions 33, one near each end of said sleeve, that mesh with corresponding racks 34 disposed alongside of guideways so that upon the aforesaid bodily movement of the sleeve 31, and thus of shaft 30, within the confines of such guides, a rotative movement will be simultaneously imparted to such sleeve and shaft whereby the latter is oscillated through a limited arc.

Fixedly attached near the outer end of tubular shaft 30 is a transverse arm 35 that will of course be oscillated upon oscillation of the shaft and likewise partake of any Inovement of translation of such shaft transversely of its axis. A cross rod 36 is attached to the outer, i. e., lower, end of arm 35., and to the respective portions of such rod, that lie on either side of the arm, are secured sheet engaging and moving fingers in the form of suction tips 37 that may be adjustably positioned along said rod as desired and also secured in proper angular position about the saine by means of set'screws 38. The branches of a flexible hose 40, that lead from the outer end of shaft 30, are connected with said tips, respectively, another similar flexible hose 41 serving to connect the interior of said shaft 30 with the interior of thefvertical tubular shaft 5 that forms the main support for the mechanism. Communication between such flexible connection 41 `and the interior of said shaft 5 is controlled by a second tubular shaft 42 reciprocable within said last named shaft and provided near its upper end with a port 43 adapted to register with a port 4-4 in said shaft 5, through which connection is had with duct V41. The upper end of said tubular shaft 42 is closed and is preferably given the inclined or diagonal formshown in Figs. l and 4, while its lower end 42a projects beyond the lower end of shaft 5 and is adapted to be connected with a suitable suction line (not shown). In the lowered position of saidr inner'shaft 42, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4, for example, such port 44, it will be observed, is open to atmosphere, but upon the inner shaft being raised until the port 43 registers with such port 44, suction will be applied through duct 41, shaft 30 and branched duct to the suction tips 37.

Oscillation. of lever 27 and reciprocation of the inner tubular shaft 42, just described as controlling the application of suction to the picker fingers 37, as also oscillation of lever 15, whereby the table that supports the blank sheets is alternately advanced and retracted, are all derived from ar transverse driving shaft iournaled in suitable bearings 51 on the main frame of the press, the right hand end of said shaft, as viewed in Fig. 2, being connected by means of suitable gears 52 with these-called large gear 53 of the press. Said shaft 25, it will thus be seen, is rotated lin l unison with the movements of the various parts of the press, including platen l. At its opposite end,-the left, as viewed in Fig. 8, the shaft inquestion carriestwo cams 54 'and 55,

Vsuch first named cam being formed with Vgrooves onf its respective faces wherein travel vrollers on levers'56 and 57 that are'pivotally attached to the plate r6. To the first of such levers is connected the rodl whereby lever 15 is oscillated andthus the table 9 recipro- 'cated5 While to the other lever 57 is attached the lower end of the rodk 28 that is connected to oscillate lever 27. (lo-operative with the periphery offace cam 55 is a roller on one endof'abell crank lever 58 that is pivotally attached to plate 6,V just as are.' levers 56 and 57, the other end of said lever 58 having a forked 'connection y*with the lower end 42a of the inner tubular shaft thatlserves in effect as aV valve to controlthe application of suction to the picker'fingers. f

The operationlof the machineias .a whole may now be set forth, sofarA asv notgalrea'dy indicated in the description of K the construction and'operation of the several; component parts.k With thestudboltf24 andthe roller 25 Vcarried vthereby secured inthe lower end lof guideway 22,7so that theaxisof said roller 'linesin the gure justsmentionedv. `taneously withthe bringing of the suction is'alignediwith that of'horizontally extend- Yingtubular shaft 30,l the oscillation oflever I27, effectedl through-'tire 4driving connections *just described,'will/produce.an identical oscillatory movement of said yshaftSO and will correspondingly-swing thearmY 35 Onsaid shaft, together withfthe 'suction fingers carried by thelatter,1from a position where'the ylatter are disposed in front ofjthe stack of paper 'on table 9, as shown injdott'edoutline in FigrLto a position'approximatelynormal t the'face of the platen, as shownin full Simulingers into suchfirst mentioned position, the leverf lsgrocked so as to advance the table,

v and thus the-stachy ofV paper thereon, suiiiciently Vtopermit thek foremost ysheet ofthe stack to be detached, as shown in Fig. 7 ,upon applyingk suction to the'tips. Such application of suction :is timed through reciprocation of the. inner tubular shaft 42' to occur when the suction tips are thus properly positioned and the table 9 has been advanced, and suction is maintained pending the subsequent swingingr of the tips intoithe full line posii ("3 tion shownin l,` following which kthe in,-

ner tubular shaft 42 is dropped until' port 44 is uncovered and the sheet thus released from ythe suction tips through the restoration of atmospheric'piressure within tubular shaft and the ducts leading therefrom to said tips.

When it is desired to yvary the position transversely o f the platen oft ie sheet depositredv thereon, this is accomplished by shifting the location of the studbolt 24, and thus the roller25, along guideway 22. When the roller, for example,is moved into the position shown inF ig. '5a and there securedl by meansof wing nut 23, the effect of oscillating lever 27 will be 'modied due to the dislocation of its axis of oscillation, which of course will be about such,roller,and thus spacedV more or less from the axis 'of shaft 30,. The latter, together with the sleeve 31, whereby it is supported in the guideways 32 on bracket 2l, will be causedto travel back and forth in such guideways as the lever is oscillated, theY amount of such back and forth travel depend ing .upon the distance the roller has been shifted from its normal position.

It will be noted thaty as a result of the foregoing construction it is possible to vary the position of thek sheet as deposited -on the platen while always bringing the suction` fingers or tips 37 back to the same starting point or pick-up position in relation to the stack of sheets on table 9. In other words, when` the location of the stud bolt 24'and thus of roller 25 is shifted along guideway 22, the shaft 30,

wherefrom the arm that carries said ,suc-y tion tips 1s sup-ported,partakes not` merely of an oscillatory movement about its axis, but also asamovement of translation in a direction transverse of suchy axis. A similar compound movement is accordingly imparted to the suction tips with the result that, as stated, the range of movement ofthe latter maybe varied to deposit the sheet where d'esiredionV the platen :without changing the starting point of suchmovement, or in other words the lpiclrup position of the suction tips. Y

' Other modes of applyingv the' principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made yas regards the mechanism kherein disclosed, provided the mea-ns stated by-auy kof the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means bekemployed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention l. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a horizontally extending lmember carrying a suction finger; and supporting means for said member,`said means being arranged and constructed to permitsaid member to have combined oscillatory `movement about its own axis and rectilinear c scribed, the combination of a horizontally ex- -tending shaft carrying a sheet engaging and moving finger; and supporting means for said shaft including 4a sleeve wherein said shaft is oscillatorily held, two laterally spaced guideways for said sleeve disposed transversely of the axis of said shaft, pinions fixedon said sleeve, and racks parallel with said guid'eways in mesh with said pinions, whereby sheets mayl be transferred successively from a point of supply to the platen.

5. In mechanism of the character de scribed, the combination of a horizontally extending shaft carrying a sheet engaging and moving finger; supporting means for said shaft including a Yguideway wherein said shaft is permitted bodily movement transversely of its axis, said member being oscilla-- tory about such axis at any point inl such guideway; a lever attached tov said shaft; and a shiftafble pivotal axis for said lever, whereby sheets may be transferred successively from a point of supply to the platen.

6.4 In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a horizontally extending shaft; a transverse armfon said shaft; a sheet engaging and moving finger carried by said arm; supporting means fer said shaft including va sleeve wherein said shaft isoscillatorily held', two laterally spaced guideways for said sleeve disposed Vtransversely of the axis of said shaft, pinions fixed on said sleeve, and racks parallel with said guideways in mesh with said' pinions'; a lever attached tok said shaft; and a shiftable pivotal axis for lsaid lever, whereby sheets may be transferred successively from a point of supply to the platen.

7. In mechanism Vof the character described, the combi-nation of'a horizontally exsaid shaft and having an arm projecting radiasl-ly therefrom; and .a shiftable pivot e* "aging said arm, whereby sheets may be ti.. nsferred successively from point of supply to the platen.

8. Inmechanism of the character described,

the lcombination of a horizontally extending shaft; .a transverse. arm on said shaft; a

sheet engaging vand moving finger carried by said arm; supporting means forsaid shaft including a sleeve wherein said shaft is oscillatorily held, two laterally spaced guidewa-ys for said sleeve disposed transversely of the axis of said shaft, Vpinions fixed on saidsleeve, and racks parallel with said guideways in mesh with said pinions; a lever attached to said shaft and having an arm formed with a slot extending in a radial direction with respect to said shaft; and an adjustably yheld pin having sliding pivotal engagement with such slot, whereby sheets may ybe transferred successively from a point of supply to the platen. f

9. In mechanism of thecharacter described, the combination of a horizontally extending shaft; a transverse arm on said shaft; a sheet engaging and moving `finger carried by ,said arm; supporting means for said shaft including a sleeve wherein said shaft is oscillatori'ly held, two laterally spaced guideways for said sleeve disposed transversely of the axis of said shaft, pi-nions fixed on said sleeve, and racks parallel with said guide-ways in mesh with said pinions; a Vlever att-ached to said shaft and having' an arm formed with a slot extending in a radial direction with respect to'said shaft a fixedv guideway disposed at an angle with'respect to such slot;,andqa pin adjustably secured in said guideway and having sliding pivotal engagement with such slot, whereby sheets may be transferred snccessively from a point of supply to the platen.

In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a vertically extending main support; a cap-piece on said support having a bracket projecting therefrom formed with an inclined slot and with Aa horizontally extending guideway; a sleeve capable of rolling movement back and forth in such guideway ;r a shaft rotatably mounted in said sleeve and carrying a sheet engaging and moving finger; a lever attached to said shaft and formed with a slot extending in a radial direction therefrom; and a pin adjustably secured in the aforesaid inclined slot and having sliding pivotalv engagement with such last mentioned slot, whereby sheets may be transferred successively from a point of supply to the platen.

ll. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a reciprocable table for blank sheets anoscillatory member carry-ing a sheet engaging and moving finger adapted in one position to present such finger in operative relation to the outer sheet on said table, said member also having a bodily movement transverse of its axis of oscillation; means adapted simultaneously to oscillate said member and thus bodily to move the same; and other means adaptedto advance tending main support;y a secondary supportr and retract said table in proper s chronism With the movements of said mem er.

l2. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a vertically eX- tending main support; a secondary supportv movable thereon in a transverse direction; a horizontally extending shaft oscillatory in said secondary support; and a sheet engaging and moving finger carried from said shaft, whereby sheets may be transferred successively from a point of supply to the platen.

13. In mechanism of ythe character described, the combination oi a vertically exmovable thereon in a transverse direction; a

horizontally extendingy shaft oscillatory 1n said secondary support; a transverse arrnvde-` pending from said shaft; a cross-rod kattached to the free end of said arm; and sheet engaging and moving fingers secilred to said cross-rod so as to be adjustable along the same, whereby sheets may be transferred successively from a point of supply to the platen.

Signed by me, this 5th day of August, 1929.

CHARLES F. ROOT. 

